Too Fat To Ride A Horse? (How Heavy Is Too Heavy?)

I took a friend with me to the stables the other day and the slightly uncomfortable – but necessary – topic came up of how much weight a horse can carry.

My friend is of a larger build, both in height and weight.

He’s about 275 lbs and well over 6 feet.

So he’s used to facing challenges doing some of the things people of an average build take for granted.

So this got me thinking, how heavy is too heavy for a horse?

Not wanting to embarrass my friend, and because it’s important information to know, I decided to do some research and find out how much weight a horse can carry.

In this article, we will look at topics such as:

• What is the maximum weight to ride a horse?
• If you can ride a horse when you’re overweight, and
• To be blunt; what is ‘too fat to ride a horse’?

Without wasting any more time, let’s jump right into it!

What is the maximum weight to ride a horse?

There is no maximum weight to ride a horse as such.

It really depends on the size, weight, and condition of the horse as to how much weight they can safely carry.

As a general rule of thumb, you should adhere to the “20% rule”.

This rule states that a horse (in good condition) should not carry more than 20% of its own body weight.

For example, this means if a horse weighs 1,000 lbs it should not carry a person weighing more than 200 lbs.

If you’ve seen a weight limit at a riding facility that differs from this, it is often to do with their insurance coverage and to ensure the safety of their horses and riders.

This doesn’t necessarily reflect the absolute maximum their horses can safely carry.

What is the average weight of a horse?

The average weight of a horse is about 900 lbs to 2000 lbs.

So, if you have a horse on the smaller side, say 900 lbs, a person weighing 180 lbs is recommended as the maximum.

On the other end of the spectrum, if you have a large horse weighing 2,000 lbs then it should be able to easily carry 400 lbs of weight.

Obviously, this isn’t going to be a 400 lbs person! You may be loading up the horse with some additional items.

Can a 300lb person ride a horse?

The answer to this question depends on how much the horse weighs, what type the horse is, and how well balanced the person riding (or trying to ride) the horse is.

Taking into the “20% rule” above, a horse weighing 1,500 lbs and above will be able to carry a person weighing 300 lbs.

Some of the types of horses that are typically large and strong enough to carry 300 lbs include Shires, Suffolk Punches, and Warmbloods.

These are large, muscular horses, and should be able to carry this kind of weight.

It’s also important to take into account how the rider balances their weight and handles themselves.

Even for large horse breeds, this is still a lot of weight to manage.

It’s important the rider is able to manage their weight so as not to cause the horse undue stress and cause a topple.

Can an overweight person ride a horse?

This question is hard to answer as it depends on how overweight the person is, as well as how much the horse weighs and how capable it is of carrying the person.

If you’re interested in riding a horse and are of larger stature, the best thing you can do is reach out to a riding facility and ask them.

Let them know how much you weigh, and also how experienced you are at riding a horse.

This is because it’s not just how heavy you are that matters, it’s how well you can balance and manage your weight. Mastering riding a horse takes time, practice, and skill.

The better you can manage your weight and work with the horse, the more leeway you have in regards to how much weight a horse can carry.

How do I know if I’m too heavy to ride a horse?

You have to do the math using the 20% rule to know if you’re too heavy.

But there are also some other things to consider, such as the condition of the horse and how experienced you are riding.

The safest and most responsible thing to do is to ask a professional.

You may have an equestrian center or a riding school near you, I’d reach out and ask one of these establishments.

Horse riding is so fun and rewarding, don’t let your weight stop you from finding out if you can ride any of the horses at your local riding school.

There are plenty of large, powerful breeds that I’m sure will be more than capable of carrying your weight.

Hopefully, the 20% rule will help put your mind at ease and give you a ballpark figure to work with as a guide.